Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Jonathing]

I was dropped by the club after less than twenty miles, on the flat (relatively flat, it is the peak district). Only after I'd bailed and the club were out of sight I realised my brake was rubbing, I wasn't as unfit as I thought. I turned off to go practice some hills (quite an easy task around here) only to have a spoke break on the first significant hill. A nice chap called Ian stopped to see if I was OK and offered to show me some new routes as my knowledge of the roads around here is pretty basic. For the next 40 miles I'm fairly sure he was trying to kill me. I made my excuses and let him ride on at his own pace as I pootled home. For some reason I decided to check out a climb in Froggat which very nearly finished me off, if that's only 20% at the top then I'm a Dutchman. I got in just as it began to rain.

 

[Hip Priest]

After yesterday's exploding tyre disaster, I trooped to the LBS to buy two Conti Gatorskins and a pair of inner tubes. Got home, fitted them, then set out to try and get under 2 hours on my short, flattish 35 mile training route.

And I did it! 1hr 58mins.

Now I'm going to have a curry.

 

[coffeejo]

A nice chap called Ian stopped to see if I was OK and offered to show me some new routes as my knowledge of the roads around here is pretty basic. For the next 40 miles I'm fairly sure he was trying to kill me.

Sorry but

 

[thegravestoneman]

Set out today for Otley I haven't been for years and I thought I might try that climb over the Chevin again, apparently they have made it steeper in the last 30 years as I had to stop a couple of times to pick my back lungs up, at least I didn't walk. The photo is the view from the bottom before you get there. Congratulations to the pair on the tandem who I passed at the bottom and cheered on as they left me on the side at my second stop for breath. I will have to give it another go in a month or two with a bit more respect but I don't think I want to change my gearing as this is the first climb I have failed (42 x 24 ain't Chevin stuff at the mo tho) Nice ride back though and stopped to have a nosey at the bike shop at Adel (cheers to Gerrard for the cup of coffee much needed and appreciated) apparently tea shop opening soon! Rain and what felt like hail after that I wish I had put on more than short sleeves and shorts. enjoyed the descent at Harewood on the way there bottled it a bit on the curve and braked though. I told my beloved that I would be about two hours whoops!! might have been nearer four so tomorrows ride may have to be cut short.
Also congrats to my beloved as she is giving the cycling a go and has been doing a short commute this week and a short pleasure ride this morning. Tricked her into the LBS and got her interested in a nice little Giant which seems custom made for her, so my Bianchi dreams are probably going to be put back a bit further but I can live with that.

 

[derrick]

Just a little 20 miles this morning, did not get out till about 10am and had to be back for my grand daughters birthday party, still managed to pop into LBS for a coffee.

 

[Primal Scream]

First ride on my new bike, a short 8 miles as I had some work to do at home, try for 20+ tommorow provided this one isnt nicked like the last one

 

[flatflr]

Just 20 miles for me on the MTB as it was feeling a little unloved since I got the road bike, planned to ride to Combe Gibbet but the rain started and I got a little lost in the lanes as I thought I'd just head in the general direction but I missed it. Pleased as a few months ago 20 miles would have been an expedition for me, but this felt like a short fun ride

 

[vernon]

Sixty six miles from home to Leeds station then from Darlington back home via three pie shops and the Darlo hippy shop. Fifty eight miles of head wind. First pie shop had closed down. I was gutted as it was a family business that had been around for over sixty years.

The staff at the hippy shop retrieved a pal that I hadn't seen for thirty years from a shop behind theirs. We shared pies and rejoiced.

Pressing on I sampled the wares of Thompson's of Northallerton with mixed results.

Moved onto my favourite butcher in Boroughbridge who was out of black pudding

Milepost on the old Great North Road.

On the final leg I spotted a blue plaque on the side of a small building. It turned out to have been a toll gate. I'd ridden past it for the past eight years and not noticed it before.

Despite the headwind and its energy sapping properties it was a grand day out. I reckon that I'm ready for next Friday's FNRttC.

 

[Spally]

Wanted to set off approx 6.30 this morning to head to London and back, approx 70 miles. However set my alarm wrong so didnt leave until 08.30. Decided to cut the ride short so only did 47 miles and am glad I did. Thigh muscles were cramping for the last 7 miles!! Have never been in so much pain on my bike!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

However my spirits were lifted by seeing what I'm 90% sure was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - I can't think of another sparrow-sized black and white bird which spirals up tree trunks, but I didn't get long enough views for a 100% positive ID.

Treecreeper?

 

[Lee_M]

55 miles in glorious sunshine, then2 hours marshalling a TT during which the weather changed and my legs seized up followed by 12 miles of truly awful weather and all uphill

first time I have ever thought about calling for a rescue

 

[Spally]

Same for me, glad I used rule #5 though and continued

 

[deadpool7]

8 miles along the canal on the new Trek Marlin 29er. I only planned on doing 5 or so as I want to get a nice, long road ride in tomorrow.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

We had planned a 41 mile route, over to my see my step-father whose birthday it is today and he has day release from the hospital after spending most of March & all of April in hospital after a failed hip replacement. We had to be home before lunch to get my OH off on a train at 2pm for work.

It didn't start well. My OH had a rear wheel fairy visit before we had even started.... and it didn't get any better, something called the weather has scuppered all plans. It is plenty warm enough, the weather is dry, but there is this thing called a headwind and this one is on a mission.

After a spectular distance of 3miles, it was mission aborted after a fallen tree, both of us hit by falling debris, but the final straw was the a serious gust of head wind stopping both of us in our tracks from 15mph to 0mph in a few meters no bike brakes used. enough is enough... and we have returned home to collect the car. It is going to be the only sensible way to get to see my step-father.

We had barely covered 1.5 miles of the 41 miles we had planned when we met this - not a good start.

 

[G3CWI]

17 miles, 3250ft ascent in and around Macc Forest. Brill if rather wild and windy. Lots of long climbs successfully done with the exception of a fail on Toot Hill. Next time...